Internet to Africa, Google Takes Initiative

O3b Project, named after the “other 3bn” people, is an ambitious project which provide internet access to 3 billion people in Africa and other emerging market. The project will be backed by some global giants. John Malone, the cable television magnate, HSBC and Google join hands to to set up O3b Networks. The estimated cost of the project is $750 million and when its completed cost of bandwidth will be reduced by 95% in those areas. As the first stage of the project, 16 low-earth orbit satellites will be ordered from Thales Alenia Space, the French aerospace group.